It’s summer in Portland. The off season. And man is it hot. The Dock is filled to capacity. Citizens are lying on blankets strewn across desiccated fields of dirt at the Blues Festival. Which I don’t think actually helps fight the heat a whole lot. And anyone with sense has fled for the coast or hills or northern Canada.

But some day soon (in theory), the heat will come off. The people will come back to town. And the performing arts scene will fire back up.

And you know what that means: the #PICAvan will be coming out of storage.

One of the highlights of any TBA is studying the movements of the #PICAvan.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is only 68 days until this year’s incarnation of TBA kicks off at PICA. Last year was off the charts. So you know this year will be even better. There are a million ways to participate. You can volunteer, you can see one show or all shows. You can join in #CriticalMascara. You can stay up all night at after hours dance parties.

Whatever you do, be there. Because it is far and away the best live performance moment of the entire year in Portland. And it’s coming at you for 10 days starting September 10.